Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1887-08-19

bear had the advantage Ol Stea'ei "S''
ty and the expert and telling use OF two
terrible weapons, his teeth and claws,
while the bull represented more inflex-
ible courage and greater powers of en-
durance. The unfortunate result OF the
bulls last charge on the grizzly indi-
Gated that the latter's qualities would IN
few minutes more settle the fight
against the bull. and | was in momenta-
ry expectation Of seeing such termi-
nation, when, 10 my astonishmeht, l
saw the bear relax his efforts, roll over
from the body Of his PROSTATE foe, and
Crag himself feebly away from the spot.
His appearance WAS sickening to me, so
frightfully had he been ripped and torn
bv the bulls horns. The grizzly had no
sooner abandoned his attack on the bull
than the latter was on his feet, bearing
himself as erect and fierce as ever. If
the bears appearance was sickening,
the bulls was doubly so. He was coy-
cred With blood from his forehead TO
his rump, and his flesh and skin actual
ly hung in strips and tatters from his
head and sides. Giving his head a shake
that scattered blood in a shower about
him, and gave him moments sight Of
the recking bear in front of him, he
lowered his head for the fourth time,
and again made one Of his terrific
charges. When the dying bear had
dragged himself away from the bull, the
eagles actually swooped down upon
him, and the wolves sprang from the
thicket into the opening aud prepared
TO pounce upon him. The bull scattered
the impatient birds and animals as he
swept on his final charge against :he
grizzly, and they hastily departed,
shrieking and snarling. The cattle
again added their believing TO that OF
the bulls, and acted as if they under
stood the favorable turn the fight had
taken. AS the bull hurled himself
against the grizzly, the latter braced
himself for last desperate struggle.
He struck out wildly with his paws, and
the bull fell back with the force OF the
grizzly's blows, presenting ghastly
spectacle. His tongue hung from his
mouth mangled mass of shreds. His
face was stripped bare of flesh to the
bone, and his eyes were torn from their
sockets. The charge was equally disas-
trous to the bear, he being ripped COM
pletely open and he sank to the ground
writhing in his agony. The indomita-
bic courage Of the bull here prevailed.
Blinded and crippled as he was, he mace
but slight pause after his fourth
assault, and then dashed wildly at his
foe again. The grizzly's roar now
seemed to be one of terror. With last
frantic effort he sought to make his es-
cape, scrambing and staggering
through the dust. But il was useless.
His great strength was gone. The bull
plunged his horns again and again into
the huge form of the dying brute as he
lay stretched helpless In the dust. The
bears muscles Quivered and contracted.
He drew his immense paws up once or
twice in cOnvulsive clutches, raised his
huge head, gave an agOnizing groan,
and fell back dead. The vigorous bull
raised his bloody, horribly disflgured
crest, gave voice to deep below, and,
shaking his head triumphantly, turned
and walked away. His progress was
slow and painful, and lie stopped and
turned at short intervals and listened,
as IL 10 know whether his foe would re-
new the battle. He walked nearly a
hundred yards, with his herd gathering
and believing about him. Presently
his head dropped from its proud posi-
tion. He spread his legs apart as II to
brace hims ,lf against the weakness that
was stealing upon him. Suddenly he
fell as il he had been shot, mangled,
bleeding mass, and was soon dead.
"The bull had no sooner left the dead
bear than the eagles and wolves were
screeching, snarling, and fighting on
the carcass. The bull had not been
dead five minutes when flock of yul-
lures dropped down in their mysterious
way upon his body. When I climbed
out of the tree to leave the scene of that
terrific combat the herd Of cattle had
on the plain. and two great
skeletons were all that marked the field
OF conflict.